Sootwhisker's Punishment
by Kipxan
Summary: The former ShadowClan leader wakes up in a place that is neither StarClan nor the Dark Forest. She is lost, but does not know why. She is alone, but is surrounded by her old Clanmates. Worst of all, she did something terrible, but cannot remember what.
1. Allegiances

Allegiances

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER: SWIFTSTAR: White tom with ginger tabby patches and green eyes

APPRENTICE, THISTLEPAW

DEPUTY: NIGHTHEART: black she-cat with green eyes

MEDICINE CATS: SPARKWHISPER: dark red she-cat with amber eyes

SPARROWLEAP: pale brown-and-white tom with green eyes, missing forepaw

WARRIORS

THORNTAIL: pale brown tabby she-cat with golden eyes

FIRECLOUD: very long-furred ginger tom with amber eyes

APPRENTICE, SHADEPAW

BEEFUR: cream tom with distinctive dark stripes and green eyes

APPRENTICE, TAWNYPAW

RIPPLEFANG: gray tabby tom with blue eyes

HOLLYTOOTH: black and white tom with amber eyes

CROOKEDTAIL: dark brown tabby tom with green eyes and a short, twisted tail

BREEZEFLOWER: very pale gray she-cat with green eyes

APPRENTICE, FOXPAW

STORMCLAW: blue-gray tabby tom with blue eyes

SNOWTOOTH: thick-furred white tom with blue eyes

OAKSTRIPE: large red-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

LIONSTORM: golden tabby tom with green eyes

CLICKJAW: tabby-and-white tom with blue eyes and a deformed jaw, former rogue

APPRENTICES

THISTLEPAW: black tom with yellow eyes

TAWNYPAW: brown-and white tom with yellow eyes

FOXPAW: tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

SHADEPAW: black she-cat with blue eyes

QUEENS

FROSTCLAW: white she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Crookedtail's kits

ELDERS

ROSE: very old cream tabby she-cat with green eyes, former rogue

FLURRYPELT: skinny white tom with yellow eyes

ASHFALL: gray tom with a white underside and amber eyes

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER: JAYSTAR: dark gray (almost black) she-cat with ice blue eyes and a white muzzle

DEPUTY: VIXENPELT: red-furred tom with amber eyes

MEDICINE CAT: LEAFPELT: ginger tabby tom with green eyes

APPRENTICE, FLAMEPAW

WARRIORS

AMBERSHINE: dark ginger tom with yellow eyes

MOSSWHISKER: tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

HAWKFEATHER: black and white tom with green eyes

APPRENTICE, SMALLPAW

BERRYTUFT: long-furred tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes

APPRENTICE, BLACKPAW

PALESTEP: pure white she-cat with blue eyes

ACORNFUR: dark brown tabby tom with green eyes

BLUESTREAM: blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

CROWFLIGHT: black tom with green eyes

SMOKESTEP: smoky gray tom

QUEENS

GRAYWHISKER: pale gray tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother of Hawkfeather's kits (Patchkit and Cinderkit)

ELDERS

LIONCLAW: cream tabby she-cat with blue eyes

BADGERSTRIPE: large black and white she-cat with green eyes

SPARROWHEART: light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

RIVERCLAN

LEADER: STONESTAR: aging dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

DEPUTY: RUSSETCLAW: bright ginger tom with green eyes

MEDICINE CAT: SANDCLOUD: small pale cream tabby she-cat with Amber eyes

WARRIORS

BLIZZARDLEAP: long-legged white tom with yellow eyes

PEBBLESKIP: small gray she-cat

SHELLSTORM: ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

APPRENTICE, SNAKEPAW

CHERRYNOSE: bright ginger tom

DARKFEATHER: black she-cat

SPECKLEFUR: dappled brown tom with bright green eyes

APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW

SPLASHFLIGHT: white tom with black splashes and blue eyes

QUEENS

BRINDLEFEATHER: mottled gray she-cat, mother of Troutkit, Petalkit, and Talonkit)

OWLFLOWER: tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes, mother of Cherrynose's kits (Leopardkit, Applekit, Leafkit, and Brightkit)

ELDERS

CREEKFALL: tiny ginger-and-white tom

WINDCLAN

LEADER: DUSTSTAR: tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes

DEPUTY: DEWTHROAT: gray tabby tom with a white underside

MEDICINE CAT: SUNNYWHISKER: white and ginger tom with yellow eyes

APPRENTICE, BRACKENPAW: thick-furred brown tabby she-cat

WARRIORS

HAZELBREEZE: swift gray-and-white she-cat

GRASSTAIL: dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

LITTLEFIRE: small, energetic ginger she-cat

HEATHERFOOT: dark golden tom

TWIGPELT: pale brown tabby tom with a distinctive white chest

QUEENS

CLOVERBIRD: very pale gray she-cat, mother of Dewthroat's kits (Mothkit, Yellowkit, and Robinkit)

ELDERS

SCORCHFACE: black tom with a battle-scarred face

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS

MADELEINE: pure white kittypet with a black tail and ears

AARON: dark brown loner with green eyes; brother of Alex

ALEX: dark brown loner with yellow eyes; brother of Aaron


	2. Awakening

_Hello?_

 _Is anybody out here?_

 _...Oh._

 _I am alone._

 _That is alright, I suppose._

 _..._

 _...It's so cold._

 _So dark._

 _Where am I?_

Who _am I?_

 _How odd, I can't remember a single thing._

 _..._

 _Isn't there anyone with me? They might know._

"Sootstar?"

 _Well, it seems I was wrong._

"Sootstar, Sparkwhisper says you need more herbs."

 _Are they speaking to me? Who is Sparkwhisper?_

"Sootstar, are you listening?" Something soft and gentle nudges my flank. Their breath is so, so warm against my cold fur. _It's alright, stranger. I can hear you._

"Sootstar, get up. You need this catmint, please." Who is this tom? I'm worried for him; his voice grows more panicked as he speaks. _I'm okay. Why can't you hear me?_

"Oh, StarClan, no..."

"Sparrowleap, what's the matter?" There's another sharp voice, a she-cat not too far off from my current location. _Is that Sparkwhisper?_

"She won't get up and her pelt's icy. Please tell me this wasn't her last life." The tom's voice rises in desperation. I'm starting to wonder, though I do take pity the stranger. _Sparrowleap, listen to me. Can't you hear that I'm alright?_

Pawsteps shuffle over until the she-cat seems to be standing near me. I can smell both of their dread coming off in waves from their forms. _What's wrong? Why are you so upset?_

There are several moments of silence before the she-cat speaks up again. "...She has gone to hunt with our ancestors. There's nothing I can do anymore," she mews, and I'm struck by how small her voice becomes. I don't hear Sparrowleap for what feels like a long while.

"...She's led our Clan for many moons. She'll deserve peace and rest after what she's done for us." _What did I do? I doubt it could deserve this kind of praise, huh._

"I suppose we should tell Swifttail. He and the rest of the Clan need to know."

The sound of something being dragged away reaches my ears, and finally I am able to see. Vision doesn't provide me with any comfort or knowledge, however. Sparrowleap and the she-cat help each other carry a ragged-looking body in their jaws. I notice with a start that is has the same gray fur and white paws that I do.

I rise stiffly to a standing position, following the pair outside on achy limbs. The sun does nothing to get rid of the chill. It's clinging to my fur like a parasite, making the whole of my body feel cold and heavy.

Ahead, I can see a throng of cats coming to investigate the cat's-no, my body. A skinny white tom lets out a faint wail, and a dark-striped warrior stares in disbelief. I tilt my head in confusion and try to call out to them, but my voice just echoes in my own head.

Something does hear me, however.

"It's awful, isn't it?"

I whip my head around, where a reddish she-cat is watching me coldly from behind. Her jaws do not move, yet I can understand her perfectly.

"What? Who are you?"

"Don't act like you don't know me, Soot _whisker._ It's Redshade, remember? Isn't it awful watching everyone you love standing over your body?" I blink, quite confused. Redshade spits out every word that comes from her mouth with contempt.

"I...I guess it is. I don't know who these cats are, though." She scoffs at me.

"You're incredible. Your heart must be pure ice to not care that much." I'm suddenly aware of the cold, motionless weight resting in my chest, and I wince.

"Hah. I've waited for the day I could tell you this for nine lifetimes: Good luck finding your way to StarClan, you piece of fox-dung." Redshade vanishes, leaving me to start to question my own sanity. Had she really been there just a moment ago? Or could this just be some strange dream?

Still musing, I return my attention to the gathering before me. A few of the cats have dispersed, though the white tom and the tabby warrior still remain by my body. A fluffy tom makes his way towards them, looking as if he's walking on stone limbs. His green eyes are clouded as he leans forward and presses his muzzle into thick gray fur for one long moment before he lifts his head up. Each member of the Clan turn to face him, ears perked attentively.

"...As you all may know, our noble leader succumbed to greencough earlier today. She was not only my leader, but my mentor and later my friend. ShadowClan will mourn her loss for many, many moons, but under my leadership I promise to lead us into prosperity, just as Sootstar had done in her prime." I note how choked his words are. It's obvious he never wanted to do this.

"B-before I leave for the Moonpool, however, I feel I must choose a deputy in case something happens along the way." The tom swallows, and his eyes scan the crowd for a long while. He pauses as if trying to remember something, then turns his head towards the sky.

"I say these words before the spirits of StarClan, so that they may hear and approve of my choice." He hesitates again, closing his eyes. "Nightheart will be the new deputy of ShadowClan." Several heartbeats pass before a jet-black she-cat picks her way forward to stand by the white-and-ginger tom, appearing stunned as the rest of the crowd yowls their praise.

"Swiftstar! Nightheart! Swiftstar! Nightheart!" I find myself raising my silent voice to join them, feeling oddly proud of Swiftstar. Perhaps we were once friends, just as he said. Wherever this Moonpool is, I will accompany him along the journey.

Maybe it could hold at least some of the answers this day is keeping from me.

* * *

 **The rest of the chapters will be longer and of better quality, but nevertheless I hope you enjoyed!**


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